MapInstall 4.0 Released

Changes made from version 3.15.0 to 4.0.0:
*Added ability to automatically send all current map products to newer devices if possible.
*Added ability to send full map products to newer devices rather than needing to select individual map tiles.
*Added display of how many map tiles are selected.
*Changed the map selection page to no longer list map products that are locked for the selected device.

Thanks

Thanks. I've installed it but haven't tried using it yet other than to launch it and see that it starts up.

I do note one odd thing. The previous 3.1.5 Mapinstall was installed to my c:\Garmin directory. This new 4.0.0 version installs to c:\Garmin\MapInstall directory and does not remove the earlier version.

I don't see a way to uninstall the earlier version. But starting the program from the Windows Start menu, I see that 4.0.0 is run so maybe it's OK to leave the old version on the computer as well. I'm somewhat afraid to try manually deleting the old MapInstall files since it seems to have been installed with Mapsource and I fear Mapsource may want the old files to remain.

If someone can find a way to remove the old 3.1.5 without causing problems, let us know.

If you installed BaseCamp

If you installed BaseCamp MapInstall got installed with it and thus there would be no uninstall entry for MapInstall. I will test this with my BaseCamp installation, but to manually delete MapInstall 3.15, delete MapInstall.exe and all the MapInstall???.dll files located in C:\Program Files\Garmin (32-bit) or C:\Program Files (x86)\Garmin (64-bit).

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MapInstall 4.0 Released

Umm...installing maps to

Umm...installing maps to your Garmin? For example, if I wanted to split the map between external and internal memory on my 200W I would need MapInstall since with MapInstall I could select the individual map tiles to be combined into an .img file. Or, for an even better example, installing a Garmin-compatible map NOT produced by Garmin, CenRut 2.6 (Central America) for instance.

For some reason on my system the option to install maps is grayed out in BaseCamp, so for me manually deleting the old MapInstall files won't affect my installation.

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Actually trying out the new

Actually trying out the new version I'm finding myself not liking it too much at the moment. My main issue is that it isn't clear what happens with maps that haven't changed. Does a new map image get created and the old one replaced? Do the various maps get combined into one gigantic image file? How does one only update one map?

A comprehensive help file, which I haven't found yet, would be useful. Until then I think I'll be sticking with 3.15 since 4.0 feels too dumbed down for me.

EDIT: Apparently issues have already been found with 4.0, including the old version of MapInstall not being removed. See here. For now I would recommend not upgrading to 4.0 since they have some kinks to be worked out.

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BaseCamp and MapInstall

I believe the issue is related to BaseCamp. BaseCamp by default installs a copy of MapInstall 3.15. This copy of MapInstall is not given a registry entry in Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features because the BaseCamp uninstall program removes both BaseCamp and its attendant version of MapInstall when run.

MapInstall 4.0 is looking for MapInstall 3.15's registry entry in Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features. Not finding it, MapInstall 4.0 assumes that MapInstall 3.15 isn't installed, even though it actually IS installed. Thus MapInstall 4.0 doesn't remove the old files, installs its files alongside the older version, rewrites the shortcut, and adds its registry entry into Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features.

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Easy

I just started Mapinstall (3.15) and did a check for updates. It said there were no updates available!?!

Now that's odd. Neither my MapInstall 3.1.5 or 4.0.0 offers a "check for updates." How did you do your check?

Start MapInstall and then right-click on the name MapInstall in the window's title bar at the top, left of the MapInstall window. That opens a context menu which includes a selection to check for updates.

Since MapInstall is part of BaseCamp, I started BaseCamp and tried checking for an update there... it also said none available. Great software implementation, Garmin.

Thanks.

I just started Mapinstall (3.15) and did a check for updates. It said there were no updates available!?!

Now that's odd. Neither my MapInstall 3.1.5 or 4.0.0 offers a "check for updates." How did you do your check?

Start MapInstall and then right-click on the name MapInstall in the window's title bar at the top, left of the MapInstall window. That opens a context menu which includes a selection to check for updates....

Wow, isn't that well-hidden? Thanks for the tip. I also see that both 3.1.5 and the new 4.0.0 default to auto-checks for updates each 14 days.

Thanks

Strephon_Alkhalikoi wrote:

Actually trying out the new version I'm finding myself not liking it too much at the moment. My main issue is that it isn't clear what happens with maps that haven't changed. Does a new map image get created and the old one replaced? Do the various maps get combined into one gigantic image file? How does one only update one map?

A comprehensive help file, which I haven't found yet, would be useful. Until then I think I'll be sticking with 3.15 since 4.0 feels too dumbed down for me.

EDIT: Apparently issues have already been found with 4.0, including the old version of MapInstall not being removed. See here. For now I would recommend not upgrading to 4.0 since they have some kinks to be worked out.

Thanks for the info. I think I'll try uninstalling 4.0.0 (and hoping it doesn't trash the old 3.1.5) and wait for 4.0.1.

Update: Uninstall did remove 4.0.0 and even its directory. I did have to reassign the Start Menu shortcut to start the old Mapinstall.exe in the c:\Garmin directory.

Ill have to check it out.

Dumbed down interface bites

canuk wrote:

Garmin releases beta software

This dumbing down of the interface to appeal to Joe Average was not well thought out, because by dumbing down the interface as they have they have alienated the more advanced users. Seriously, the old MapInstall interface was perfectly fine, but could have benefited from the following:

1. A simplified checklist of compatible maps. Instead of the current system of color coding and drop down boxes with esoteric options, you have a list of compatible maps. Next to each is a question: Install this map? and either a drop down box with "yes" or "no", or else a pair of checkboxes, one marked "yes" and the other marked "no".

2. On the tile selection screen tiles should not be selected by default and there should be a "Select Entire Map" button. In 4.0, once you get to the "advanced functions" you are presented with all the tiles in a given map already selected. While the tiles can be mass deselected using CTRL and a mouse click, it's always better to opt-in than opt-out.

Providing a simple "Select All" button or even better, a "Select/Deselect All" toggle button, would simplify the map screen for new users because they can simply hit the button to select the entire map and go to the next map in their collection (if they have one).

3. Each compatible map that is selected in point 1 above appears in sequence. What this means is that the software should function much like POI Loader. With POI Loader, manually loading the POIs calls up each and every POI file in the given directory and gives you the option to ignore it when creating the .gpi file. The same thing should occur with maps. For example If an end user has three maps (US, England and Ireland, Germany) selected out of his total collection, each press of the "Next" button should take the end user to the next map in line until all the maps are done. Thus our end user with his three countries would select tiles (or tap the "Select/Deselect All" toggle) for the US map. When he taps "Next" the map screen should change and pull up England and Ireleand for the end user to select tiles from. Tapping "Next" would then call up the Germany map. Once done, the maps would go on to be combined into .img files.

4. Memory size available as a combination of both internal and external memory. 4.0 DOES have this but it apparently doesn't work right. In any event, if Garmin is going to treat the internal and external memory spaces as a single space, then the software should fill up the available space in the internal memory first then move the rest to external memory. Based upon eyewitness accounts of the Lifetime Updater and Option 2 installs those programs apparently write the entire file onto the external memory card, not touching the internal memory at all. Each writes a file that tells the firmware where the maps are, and apparently maps can no longer be loaded onto interal memory. I don't know about any of you, but I would like to be able to use that space for maps if I want.

5. A help file. How many of my concerns would have been addressed with a help file? There's not much to say on that except that help files for all Garmin software that doesn't already have it are long overdue.

So in parting, to reiterate my general sentiments, unless you are a neophyte Garmin user or unless Garmin actually makes the software usable, I would recommend sticking with MapInstall 3.15.

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